When a container is to be transferred from a transfer lift onto a truck, a transfer plate of the lift must be erected and maintained in the erected position, for safety, before the container is moved onto the lift. A lever is usually provided to erect and bring down the transfer plate from a remote point. The lever must be locked to lock the transfer plate in the erected position. Usually, therefore, a mechanism is provided to lock the lever. However, the conventional lever locking mechanism has been an independent mechanism which itself must be manually operated to lock and unlock the lever.